Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative substances that have been included into the Stockholm Convention due to their hazardous properties. While large efforts have been made in the past decades to phase-out closed systems containing PCBs, open systems have received much less attention. In Lithuania, too, transformers and capacitors (closed systems) have already been inventoried and mostly collected and destroyed, but PCBs in open systems, mainly in buildings, have not been investigated. Therefore, this article presents estimates of probable PCB amounts and distribution in buildings in the country. According to theoretical calculations, about 1,900 t of PCBs could be brought into Lithuania and used in closed, partially closed and open systems. It is most probable that PCBs under the trade name Sovol, produced in Russia, constituted the majority of PCBs in open systems, i.e. some 400 t. There are about 8,600 apartment houses and 51,950 various public buildings with a big probability to contain PCBs. One such building could contain up to 6.6 kg of PCBs.
This article is focused on manufacturing industry and its significant environmental impact aspects coverage in environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports in Lithuania. Firstly, the paper describes how a significant impact can be determined and what sources should be used in its identification. Secondly, the significant environmental aspects related to manufacturing industry are identified. The main result of the paper is the depiction of how identified significant environmental aspects are covered, if they are covered at all, in the EIA reports. The research shows that current EIA practice assesses a negative manufacturing industry impact related to air emissions and direct consumption of natural resources and energy. In general, current EIA practice is concentrated on local and direct environmental impact assessment, while it has the shortcoming to assess an indirect and global impact. Current EIA practice also has a limitation in the evaluation of climate change issues and total cumulative effects of manufacturing industry on the environment.
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